The Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection is a series of two-disc DVD sets, released by Warner Home Video. Originally planned as an uncut, unedited, uncensored, chronological set, the issued Spotlight Collection sets wound up including selected Tom and Jerry shorts on each volume. Volume one was released on October 19, 2004, volume two on October 25, 2005, and the third and final volume on September 11, 2007.
Contents
Contents
The following 112 shorts were directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio in Hollywood, California. All shorts were released to theaters by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer between 1940 – 1958. The original MGM Hanna-Barbera classics are a total of 114 shorts.
Spotlight Collection, Vol. 1
A superscripted one ( 1 ) denotes cartoons presented in the CinemaScope aspect ratio using a new anamorphic widescreen transfer.
Disc 1
- The Yankee Doodle Mouse
- Sufferin' Cats!
- Baby Puss
- The Zoot Cat
- The Million Dollar Cat
- The Bodyguard
- Mouse Trouble
- Tee for Two
- Flirty Birdy
- Quiet Please!
- The Milky Waif
- Solid Serenade
- Cat Fishin'
- The Cat Concerto
- Kitty Foiled
- The Truce Hurts
- Salt Water Tabby
- The Invisible Mouse
- The Little Orphan
- Heavenly Puss
Disc 2
- Texas Tom
- Jerry and the Lion
- Tom and Jerry in the Hollywood Bowl
- Jerry and the Goldfish
- Cue Ball Cat
- Slicked-up Pup
- Jerry's Cousin
- Cat Napping
- The Flying Cat
- The Two Mouseketeers
- Smitten Kitten
- Johann Mouse
- Two Little Indians
- Baby Butch
- Designs on Jerry
- Mice Follies
- Pecos Pest
- Touché, Pussy Cat! 1
- The Flying Sorceress 1
- Blue Cat Blues 1
Bonus features
Spotlight Collection, Vol. 2
A superscripted one ( 1 ) denotes cartoons in the standard Academy ratio presented in newly remastered versions. A superscripted two ( 2 ) denotes cartoons presented in the CinemaScope aspect ratio using a new anamorphic widescreen transfer.
Disc 1
- Puss Gets the Boot 1
- The Midnight Snack 1
- The Night Before Christmas
- Fraidy Cat 1
- Dog Trouble 1
- Puss n' Toots 1
- The Bowling Alley Cat
- Fine Feathered Friend
- The Lonesome Mouse
- Puttin' on the Dog
- The Mouse Comes to Dinner
- Mouse in Manhattan
- Springtime for Thomas
- Trap Happy
- Part Time Pal
- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse
- Old Rockin' Chair Tom
- Professor Tom
- The Cat and the Mermouse
- Polka-Dot Puss
Disc 2
- Saturday Evening Puss
- Little Quacker
- Texas Tom
- Safety Second
- Sleepy-Time Tom
- Nit-Witty Kitty
- Cruise Cat
- Triplet Trouble
- Push-Button Kitty
- The Missing Mouse
- Jerry and Jumbo
- Just Ducky
- Little School Mouse
- Tom and Chérie 2
- Down Beat Bear 2
- Mucho Mouse 2
- Tot Watchers 2
Bonus features
Spotlight Collection, Vol. 3
Vol. 3 completes the Hanna-Barbera Tom and Jerry cartoons, save for Mouse Cleaning and Casanova Cat. According to a Warner Home Video press release, these cartoons were omitted from the set for racial stereotyping. (These cartoons are presented uncut on the European PAL DVD set Tom and Jerry: Classic Collection, with Mouse Cleaning appearing on Vol. 2 and Casanova Cat appearing on Vol. 3 of this series.)
Disc 1
- A Mouse in the House
- Hatch Up Your Troubles
- Love That Pup
- Jerry's Diary
- Tennis Chumps
- The Framed Cat
- His Mouse Friday
- The Duck Doctor
- Little Runaway
- Fit to Be Tied
- The Dog House
- That's My Pup!
- Life with Tom
- Puppy Tale
- Posse Cat
- Hic-cup Pup
- Downhearted Duckling
- Neapolitan Mouse
- Mouse for Sale
- Smarty Cat
Disc 2
(All cartoons in CinemaScope - 16:9 widescreen)
- Pet Peeve
- Southbound Duckling
- Pup on a Picnic
- That's My Mommy
- The Egg and Jerry
- Busy Buddies
- Muscle Beach Tom
- Barbecue Brawl
- Tops with Pops
- Timid Tabby
- Feedin' the Kiddie
- Tom's Photo Finish
- Happy Go Ducky
- Royal Cat Nap
- The Vanishing Duck
- Robin Hoodwinked
Bonus features
Controversy and Negative Consumer Reaction
The Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection sets have received intense negative consumer reaction, due to the edits in certain cartoons on each set.
The first set contained three edited shorts (The Milky Waif, The Truce Hurts and The Little Orphan), which Warner stated was a mistake. All three of these shorts originally included various characters in blackface. A replacement program was begun at the end of 2006, two years after the set's initial release. Warner Home Video has corrected the problem and the set can be purchased without any problems.
The second volume contained four shorts (The Lonesome Mouse, Polka-Dot Puss, Saturday Evening Puss and Nit-Witty Kitty) with edited sound tracks. These four shorts contained the censored Mammy Two Shoes audio track, instead of the original. However, Warner corrected the problem and the discs do contain the original Mammy Two Shoes tracks.
Consumers have also expressed disappointment at the fact that, although advertised as being "restored and remastered", none of the cartoons on the first volume are restored, having been sourced from the same transfers used for television. However, all widescreen/CinemaScope cartoons are restored in their original aspect ratios.
Complaints also arose over Mouse Cleaning and Casanova Cat being omitted from Volume 3 because of racial stereotyping, according to a Warner Home Video press release.[1] These two shorts were the only Tom and Jerry shorts from the Hanna-Barbera era not present on DVD. These two shorts can be found on the European Classic Collection DVDs. There were also complaints about His Mouse Friday presented edited on that subsequent DVD release.